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Consultation on Night Flying Restrictions

On 21 July 2004, my predecessor responsible for aviation, the hon. Member for Harrow East, (Mr. McNulty), launched stage one of a two stage consultation process about setting the night restrictions regime at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for the future. We shall be publishing at 10 am tomorrow the consultation paper on stage two. It was not possible to publish the second stage consultation paper in time to enable us to have a new regime in place by 30 October this year. Our second stage consultation on the new regime is important. The proposals take account of the responses to stage one. We shall welcome responses on the stage two proposals from any interested person or organisation. In order to allow time for the consultation process and analysis of responses, the present night restrictions regime will continue for a further year from 30 October 2005 until 29 October 2006. During that year we propose that the current regime should continue unchanged. The consultation document will then set out the proposed night restrictions regime to apply to the end of the summer season 2012. Interested parties will have 14 weeks to comment on the consultation, with the closing date being 16 September. Copies of the consultation document will be placed in the Library of the House and on the internet at www.aviation.dft.gov.uk/. I am also placing in the House Library, and at the same web address a summary of the responses to the stage one consultation. Copies of all the responses, except where the author has requested confidentiality, are available for six months for inspection by prior appointment at the DfT Library and Information Centre, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE. The stage two consultation document will be sent to all consultees and copies will be available on request from: Department for Transport Aviation Environmental Division Zone 1/34 Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR. I look forward to hearing what people have to say on this important issue.